


for everything i've had but set aside (i look back now and realize that everything i've wanted was always mine)

by hearden



Series: Legacy of Power [11]
Category: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers, Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-12-15 05:06:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11799015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hearden/pseuds/hearden
Summary: A long time ago, Kimberly ran away from her team, but now, she runs to them.(A companion oneshot to Legacy of Power.)





	for everything i've had but set aside (i look back now and realize that everything i've wanted was always mine)

**Author's Note:**

> it's me, back at it again at krispy kreme with that angst/healing combo
> 
> consider this a thematic (and sort of direct if you squint) sequel to well i've been afraid of changing (aka the kimberly/yellow rangers angstfic)
> 
> moderate spoilers for things in legacy that i haven't written yet, including some green ranger stuff rip

**i. red / black / yellow**

From the Viewing Globe, Kimberly watches three of her best friends leave across the world.

She links her arm with Aisha's and promises to take her out on a shopping spree later in the week and gives Rocky a list of restaurant recommendations in Angel Grove, punctuated with a playful punch to his shoulder, but it doesn't feel the same.

That night, with the six of them filing into the Juice Bar a few hours before closing, Ernie hails them down before they all fully make their way through the door.

"The guys left some stuff for you all," he says, setting a box on the bar counter, and Kimberly lets her heart soar too far out of her body.

For Rocky, Adam, and Aisha, there are three letters with their names on them in Jason, Zack, and Trini's handwriting, and they shuffle off to a table in the corner of the room to read them in private.

The rest is clearly marked with sticky notes, either for Kimberly, Billy, or Tommy -- knick-knacks and _stuff_ to keep for the sake of memories.

Kimberly briefly fools herself into thinking that there'd be something more. She doesn't know _what_ , exactly, but thinking about it makes her automatically reach for Tommy's hand.

He gives her hand a firm squeeze as she fishes a yellow beanie, accented with black and white stripes, out of the box. Her name peeks back at her from a post-it in Trini's beautiful, cursive calligraphy.

She doesn't wear it that night but, instead, tucks it away in a shoebox in her closet and never takes it out again. (It goes with her, everywhere, though -- all the way to France and back to Angel Grove.)

 

* * *

 

**ii. green**

Trini's words echo in Kimberly's head for months after she and Zack head back to the other side of the world, where they resume their life of volunteering and service in the name of love.

Kimberly considers it an act of service in the name of love when, close to a year later, she drafts up dozens of letters that end up littering her trash can, crumpled into angry little balls, all addressed to Tommy and all bad bad _bad._

“You can’t keep running from this, you know,” Trini had said, “The longer you drag it out, the more it’s gonna hurt in the end. For both you _and_ Tommy.”

Well, no shit.

She has a stone in her throat that she can't swallow.

Somewhere between her training, showers that are too scalding hot, and late nights tossing and turning in bed, Kimberly finds the words.

_Tommy, this is the hardest letter I've ever had to write. You've always been my best friend, and, in some ways, you're like a brother._

They're not the right words, but they're words.

_But something has happened here that I can't explain. It's both been wonderful and painful at the same time._

Heck, they're not even the _real_ words, but she's getting good at lying to herself, and lying to someone else isn't that much harder.

_Tommy, I've met someone else._

 

* * *

 

**iii. blue**

She never gets to say goodbye to Billy, not properly, and Jason is the one to relay the news of his departure to her.

Kimberly flies all the way in from France, and he greets her at her gate, dressed in a black t-shirt and shorts. A gold earring glints on his ear, and she reminds herself that he's a golden boy, now, or, well, was.

On the drive to his house, where she'll crash for as long as she's in town, Jason quietly breaks it to her -- something about de-aging and re-aging and Billy's health and Aquitar, _light-years_ away.

Kimberly doesn't quite understand it, but she never does. (It's easier that way, to just let it fly over her head so she doesn't collapse under the weight of it on her shoulders.)

Heartbroken, she stares out the window and thinks about the last time she'd seen Billy at a Ranger Reunion (but, this is years before anyone starts calling it _that_ ), brightly smiling and clinking his cream soda bottle with hers.

 

* * *

 

**iv. pink**

After she and Jason split, break up, consciously uncouple, silently agree to stop seeing each other, _whatever_ , Kimberly drifts.

She doesn't go to that year's Ranger Reunion but, instead, spends that time traveling around, using a bit of money she'd gotten from her gymnastics fame to fund her impulsive backpacking.

At first, Zack's mixtape -- a handmade CD he'd left for her when he left for Switzerland -- is the soundtrack that Kimberly runs to, but after awhile, it hurts too much, and she snaps it in half and lets it sink to the bottom of the ocean.

She reminds herself to never tell Zack. (She breaks and tells him shortly after Trini's funeral, and he forgives her with tears in his eyes.)

Every now and then, she calls her mother to let her know she's doing okay, but she always wonders if her mom recognizes the voice on the other side of the phone.

_Evil is like evil does._

Sometimes, Kimberly wonders if her mom hears Maligore's demonic rasp in the back of her throat.

 

* * *

 

Somehow, somewhere, God or the universe or, hell, the Power gives her a chance to try again, to make things right, and lines up the stars in a perfect path for her to walk, if she chooses to.

So, she does.

 

* * *

 

**i. red**

Kimberly has a knack for running into people when she isn't supposed to.

Such is the case for one Jason Scott in the middle of The Grove, in a GameStop, with his little sister in tow.

"Hey, Kimberly," his voice startles her, and she almost drops her phone, "Didn't think I'd run into you here."

She turns around and squints at him, flashing a smile at his little sister, who's struggling to get out of his grip.

"You didn't expect to see _me_ at the _mall_?" Kimberly scoffs and rolls her eyes, "Get real, golden boy."

It slips out without her meaning to, a habit of hearing almost everyone else call him that, but she doesn't let it show on her face that it'd been a mistake.

Jason chuckles at that and briefly switches his attention to his sister, "I don't think you've met Pearl yet -- Pearl, this is Mrs. Oliver. She's a friend of mine."

Kimberly doesn't know which part of _that_ to start off on and raises her eyebrows at him, holding out a hand for Pearl to begrudgingly shake, "You can call me Kimberly. 'Mrs. Oliver' just sounds so… _old_ , I think."

"It's nice to meet you, Kimberly," Pearl says, very politely, then glances at Jason, grumbling, "Can you let go of me now?"

"Don't wander off too far," he warns her sternly before releasing her hand.

Pearl's responding "Yeah, yeah, whatever," as she trudges out the store door has Kimberly giggling.

Jason shoves his hands in his pockets and nods at Kimberly, a small smile on his face, "Kids, right?"

She scoffs, " _Kids_ , right. I suppose Mrs. _Oliver_ would know a lot about that, wouldn't she?"

"What's wrong with that? You're, like, ancient," he remarks.

Kimberly smacks him on the arm; he yelps and pouts at her, looking very much like _her_ golden boy. "I'm _not_ ancient," she argues, petulantly.

Well, technically, she _could_ be his mother, but that's. Not relevant.

Jason nudges her with his elbow, "So, what brings you to GameStop of all places?"

Kimberly takes a moment too long to answer, especially because the two white lies that immediately pop up in her head -- for herself and for Tommy -- don't work at all, and Jason gets a look of _oh_ realization, a stupid grin forming on his face.

"What were you planning on buying me, huh?" he teases.

She huffs and crosses her arms, "Who says I was here for you? Tommie's birthday is coming up, too."

Still grinning, Jason glances up; the two of them are standing in the Playstation section. "Well," he starts, jerking his thumb at the Xbox section feet away, "If you were here for Tommie, you'd be over there."

"You're almost as insufferable as Zack," Kimberly mutters, staying rooted in her spot, "Why are you like this?"

Jason laughs and purses his lips, looking up and down the shelves at the games in front of him, "Maybe it's 'cause Zack's rubbing off on me. Now… what _were_ you going to get me?"

"That'd be ruining the surprise," she says, haughtily, pretending to inspect her nails.

She has no idea what to get him.

Kimberly's plans don't usually stretch beyond _stall and wait for for a lightbulb moment._

Still, she watches out of the corner of her eye with slight interest as Jason checks out several games, skimming the back covers and sticking them back on the shelf in rapid succession. Finally, he holds up a game for her to see.

She takes it from Jason's hand and reads the title out loud, " _Abzu._ " Kimberly raises her eyebrows at him, "Not a FIFA type of guy?"

Jason clutches his hand to his chest in mock offense, "Are you _stereotyping_ me? I thought you were above that, Mrs. Oliver."

"Call me that again and I'll dump you in the ocean," she mutters.

"I'll hold you to that," Jason chuckles, patting her on the shoulder, "I'm gonna go see where Pearl's gone off to, so see you around." He turns to leave then doubles back, adding with a smile, "Also, if you, uh, don't know what to get Tommie, she was excited for _Titanfall 2._ It's not out yet, but you can preorder it. Just letting you know."

Kimberly scowls at him. "I _knew_ what I was going to get her," she says to Jason's retreating back.

"You're welcome!" he calls over his shoulder.

 

* * *

 

**ii. black**

She knocks thrice on Zack's screen door, shuffling her feet as she hears a muffled "Coming!" from inside.

Seconds later, Zack's bright grin peeks out at her as the door swings wide open.

"Hey, teacher lady--"

Kimberly cuts him off with a finger and a scowl -- but not too hard of a scowl, just a teasing one, "We already talked about nicknames, Zack."

His grin stays on his face as he lets her inside. "My mom's taking a nap." Zack nods at the grocery bags in her hands, "You got the _stuff_?"

Chuckling, she rolls her eyes at his emphasis and humors him for a moment, "Yeah, I got the _stuff_."

Half an hour later, while they're both peeling and chopping potatoes and carrots -- well, he's peeling, she's chopping -- and waiting for the beef to marinate, Zack speaks up, trying to sound casual and failing, "So, uh, I guess you didn't learn how to make Viet food from your family, then."

Kimberly has to blink and focus on not accidentally bringing the knife down too close to her fingers. She knows what he's asking without actually asking.

"Trini kinda taught me," she manages to get out in one breath and sets her knife down, pausing because talking about Trini and with a knife in her hand has never worked out well in the past, "I helped her parents out from time to time after, you know, after she died and picked up a few things."

Zack's knife softly clatters on the cutting board as he stops to wipe his hands on a towel and stares at her, waiting patiently.

"The rest," Kimberly continues, "was just trial and error. Trying out different recipes until I had something that tasted close to what I had the first time."

Raising an eyebrow, Zack crosses his arms, glancing her up and down, "Yeah, but there's nothing like the first time, right?"

She shakes her head, "No, there isn't."

 

* * *

 

**iii. yellow**

Kimberly parks Tommy's Jeep -- it's practically their Jeep at this point, but she still somewhat doesn't consider it hers because, well, it's not _theirs_ theirs -- at the curb, a few houses down from Trini's and pulls her phone out of her pocket, shooting off a text.

_[KO 5:26 PM] Hey, I'm here. Down the street._

The response comes immediately.

_[T 5:26 PM] ur 4 minutes early_

_[KO 5:26 PM] Take your time. I don't mind waiting._

_[T 5:26 PM] makin me feel guilty smh_

"Hey."

Kimberly nearly jumps out of her seat -- her seatbelt holds her firmly in place, thankfully -- as Trini's voice startles her, popping up out of nowhere. Her phone slips out of her hands and clatters to the floor next to her feet.

"Jesus _fucking_ Christ," she hisses, narrowing her eyes at Trini, who only cracks a small, smug smile, "Could you _not_ do that? Give me a warning next time."

Trini laughs, walking around to the passenger side, and hops in, buckling up. "Where's the fun in that, then?"

These kids are absolutely insufferable, Kimberly thinks.

The drive to the park is filled with silence, mostly, as Kimberly's become used to from Trini. They arrive before the sun starts to set, right on time, and Kimberly grabs the picnic basket from the backseat, fidgeting with her keys as she leaves the parking lot and follows the sidewalk trail deeper into the park, Trini following behind her.

She sets her stuff down in a clearing that's in good view of the setting sun and a good distance away from other park-goers and pulls out a blanket from the basket.

"Here, lemme help," Trini holds out her hands, and Kimberly obliges, handing her the other side of the blanket to lay out on the grass.

Two ham and cheese sandwich triangles, some potato chips, and a Capri Sun later, Kimberly breaks the silence with the only thing she can think to bring up that's not Ranger business, "So, you got any plans after graduation?"

"For _fuck's_ sake," Trini groans and takes a sip from her Capri Sun to stall for time, glaring daggers at Kimberly.

Yeah, she'd always hated it when people asked her about college way back when, too. Figures some things would never change.

Trini crumples her pouch when she's done, tossing it in the basket for trash, and frowns, "I've thought about college, I guess, but I don't know."

Kimberly waits, patiently, for the hesitation she knows will come because she's had the same thoughts before.

"What happens if we split up for college?" Trini muses, "Who's gonna protect the Zeo Crystal?"

"Someone'll come around," she responds, confidently, "It just always works out that way."

In her lifetime, she's learned not to question how things fall into place to fit the necessities of their lives as Rangers. Cosmic power, fate, God, whatever. It happens as it's needed to happen, and where one Ranger retires, another will take their place. Trini makes a noise of agreement, but it sounds reluctant; Kimberly lets it slide -- no use in dwelling on things in a future that they can't yet see.

She munches on a potato chip and arches an eyebrow at Trini, "Any places you're thinking about in particular?"

"AGCC," Trini responds, automatically, as if she'd had the answer ready, which she probably did.

"You don't have to stay close to home," Kimberly says, slowly, "I mean, if community college is what you want, then yeah, but like, I meant what I said. Someone'll come around. You don't have to be a Ranger forever; your life isn't tied down here."

A silence stretches as Trini doesn't speak. Kimberly just sits there and watches as the girl reaches into the picnic basket and pulls out another sandwich triangle, unwrapping it and taking a few thoughtful bites.

After Trini swallows and sets the rest of her sandwich down on her lap, she mutters, her jaw clenched, "Even if I _did_ know where I wanna go, I wouldn't know… what I wanna do. What I wanna major in."

Kimberly leans her elbow on her knee, propping her chin up in her hand, "There's nothing wrong with that. You can always go in undecided."

There isn't. She'd done it, after all.

Trini picks up her sandwich and finishes off the rest of it, her chewing significantly more tensed, irritated, possibly. When she's done, she balls up the plastic wrap in her fists, a set frown on her face.

"It'd be a hell of a conversation to have with my parents," Trini starts, her voice carrying a sharp edge that Kimberly's too wary to touch, "Going in undecided like that. My mom would have a fucking fit."

Kimberly can't personally relate, and she knows there's not much to say to something like that, either. Either parents change and eventually let go or they don't. She doesn't doubt that Trini knows that. Probably better than she does, even.

"Well, I can't change how your mom would react to that," she says, softly, tilting her head, "But I can tell you that your _real_ friends would love and accept you for who you are and the choices you make -- or don't choose to make."

Trini doesn't look at her, just stares at a spot on the blanket, and for a moment, Kimberly worries that she's overstepped the girl's emotional boundaries and bites on her lower lip in nervous anticipating.

Then, "Is that what we are? Friends?"

Kimberly's heart positively skips a beat inside her chest.

"Um, yeah," she nods, forcing herself to recover from her brain short-circuiting, "If you wanna be."

She's scared to say the wrong thing and put herself back into Trini's category of _people to not trust as far as they can be thrown._ And, considering Trini's superhuman strength, yeah.

Hesitantly, she offers her pinky forward -- a pact they'd made what feels like weeks ago, a promise that she knows she'll one day have to see break.

Trini glances at her hand then links her pinky with Kimberly's, nodding once, her blank expression betraying nothing.

Her eyes soften, and for a brief second, Kimberly swears that she sees a ghost in front of her in those brown eyes. " _You're_ my real friend," Trini declares, quietly.

 

* * *

 

**iv. blue**

_Thwack!_

"Ow!"

Billy groans and rolls over on his side, coughing once.

Kimberly holds out her free hand and, after another cough, he scrambles to his feet with her help, easily towering over her. She taps him once on the chest with the staff in her hand, "The bigger you are, the harder you fall."

"Noted," Billy says with a nod, sighing. He picks up his dropped staff from the ground and resumes a slightly awkward fighting stance, "It just… feels weird, you know? I don't have that much fighting experience -- and definitely not any _weapons_ experience."

"You just gotta play to your strengths," she says, shrugging.

Kimberly lunges forward with a jab, holding back a little, just to warm him up again. He easily sidesteps and whacks at her staff, trapping it -- and her arms -- at a downward angle.

Billy's eyes meet hers, and she thinks _Shit_ and _Thank God, he's not used to this_ before dropping her staff as quickly as she can, stumbling backward and narrowly avoiding his delayed elbow that would've surely knocked her down.

"Whew," she nods, smiling, "See? There you go. It just takes some time." Billy tosses her staff back at her; Kimberly catches it, deftly, and twirls it, squaring her shoulders. "You've got reach with that," she says, motioning at the staff in his hands, "If you can keep people from getting close to you, that along with your size, then you're good."

"You said the bigger I am, the harder I fall, though," Billy asks, tilting his head, "How does my size help me?"

Kimberly chuckles, "You only fall harder if you can get knocked down in the first place." She relaxes and slightly leans on her staff, "Look at me. What're my strengths?"

Billy glances her up and down, "You're fast. And agile… like a gymnast." The smile he gives her is so warm that Kimberly has to look away for a second.

"Yeah, but I'm not strong -- I can't knock you down with brute force, so I have to think. Be smart."

His brow furrows, "And I don't want you getting close enough, so…"

She flashes him a grin, "Do what you do best, Billy. Be smarter."

 

* * *

 

**v. pink**

"Just a little further," Kimberly calls over her shoulder, ducking her head down to avoid smacking it against the roof of the cave.

"You know," Kim says, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're leading me down to your evil lair to kill me or something."

She laughs, loudly, making Kim pause behind her, the sound of dirt scuffling the only indication of such.

"But you aren't, _right_?" Kim asks for confirmation, and Kimberly can practically hear the wariness in her voice without looking.

Kimberly rolls her eyes and waves a hand, urging the girl to keep following her, "Come on, I won't bite."

"Is that supposed to be reassurance or a promise?" echoes off of the cave walls.

"Whatever you _want_ it to be," Kimberly teases with a chuckle, to which Kim lets out a disgusted groan.

They continue on, deeper into the cavern. "Jason took me here," Kimberly says as they go, "Back when we were kids, the summer before senior year."

Hesitantly, Kim murmurs, but in the silence of the cave, it sounds like crackling in Kimberly's ears, "Was this after Maligore?"

"Yeah," she answers, her voice turning bitter for a moment, "We turned back shortly after starting. It was a terrible idea at the time, you know. Small spaces. Dark tunnels." Kimberly sighs, "Back then, I kinda wished the earth would swallow me up."

Up ahead, she sees the first slivers of light and instinctively reaches behind her for Kim's hand, intertwining their fingers. "We're almost there," she tugs on Kim's hand and whispers, excitedly -- has no idea _why_ she's whispering, but it's like a secret that only the two of them get to know, and she doesn't want anyone else to find out.

Awkwardly, half-supporting each other and making sure the other doesn't go tumbling, they stumble out into a clearing where the cave walls widen up around a small lake, deep blue and brightly illuminated by streaks of sunlight flowing in through an opening above their heads.

 _Wow_ is all Kimberly can think and _Maybe this isn't a terrible idea, now._

Kim squeezes her hand, pulling her out of her awestruck trance, and they exchange a glance, something that transcends words -- that transcends lifetimes.

"I'm glad the earth didn't take you from me," Kim says, half-casually, like she's a little bit scared to face her demons but thankful that Kimberly's willing to show her hers.

Kimberly smiles, bright and alive, "Yeah, I'm glad it didn't, either."

 

* * *

 

**vi. green**

The soft buzz of the force field surrounding Tommie is the only sound in the room as Kimberly sits down, cross-legged, mirroring the girl, on the cold metal floor of the ship.

She waits because there's nothing else to do but.

Tommie glances at her and frowns, finding something in her face that's probably _too_ familiar, "How do I know you?"

Kimberly chuckles and smiles, slightly amused, "Uh, I don't think you'd believe me if I told you."

There's a pause as Tommie scrutinizes her, brow furrowing as she processes, "You're Kimberly, right? That's what Zack called you."

She nods, slowly, and keeps her words short, letting Tommie piece it together herself, "Yeah, that's me. I'm Kimberly."

"And that other dude -- the one who you said would've stood up for me," Tommie waves a hand vaguely in the direction that she assumes the others are. Her eyes drift to the wedding band on Kimberly's left hand. "Your husband," she concludes.

Kimberly just nods again, feeling very much like a bobblehead.

Tommie leans forward, getting closer to the edge of the force field (but Kimberly knows it's meant to only contain and not harm), and squints at Kimberly, "You said that _Tommy_ would know better than anyone else what I'm going through."

"He doesn't like being called 'dude,'" Kimberly corrects, delayed, awkwardly avoiding the direction Tommie had been nudging the conversation in.

Tommie snorts and reclines, using the force field as a wall to press her back against, "I don't like being called 'dude,' either."

She clears her throat, her features becoming serious, and Kimberly braces herself for a loaded question.

"Why _did_ you stick up for me?" Tommie asks, echoing Zack's words.

Kimberly looks at the girl behind the force field and sees another victim of Rita and Zedd's mind games. Another new kid dragged into a world they didn't expect to end up in.

She can't fix the past, but she can use it to change the future.

"Because," Kimberly says, softly, meeting Tommie's eyes, "I know you."

**Author's Note:**

> title from Brothers - Prince of Spain, an *amazing* band
> 
> in case anyone was wondering, kimberly and zack were making vietnamese beef stew
> 
> i really need to stop writing future scenes that i'll have to incorporate into legacy later smh, not that any of the reboot scenes follow any kind of chronology tho lol they're all out of order


End file.
